What Is An Ice Maker

An Ice maker is comprised of an electric motor with a cooling unit, a heating unit, and an ice tray.

It also requires a supply of clean water. Unless you have an ice machine with a connection to a water line, you have to fill up your ice maker with water on your own.

The water is pumped into an ice tray of some form. Once the water level is appropriate, the cooling unit will begin. These

All ice makers have built-in thermostats, so they know when to turn on and off.

The water freezes in the ice tray, and then it’s time for the heating unit.

The heating unit heats the base of the ice tray, so the giant clump of ice separates and falls as different cubes.

The ice falls into the ice bin, where it is ready to be scooped out.

An ice maker is designed to make the ice, not store it. Many ice machines do not include a cold storage unit. This means that the ice bin is a temporary solution.

A freezer is needed to properly store ice, so don't think that you will be purchasing an ice machine with built-in storage unless you are willing to pay the much higher price.

An in-between solution is to purchase an ice maker with an insulated storage bin, but usually portable and smaller ice makers do NOT come with that. You'll probably have to buy an undercounter or built-in unit for that.​

Why Buy An Ice Maker, At All?

Going to the store is a nuisance. But we’ve already gone over this.

There are many more scenarios in which an ice maker can come in handy.

If you are setting up the office break room, but realize there's no ice, you may want to invest in a compact ice maker.

If you go camping and want some ice, bring along a portable ice maker. It makes life so much easier.

Likewise, if you go tailgating and aren’t sure how much ice you will need, bring along your personal ice maker.

If you ever go fishing or boating, a portable ice maker can be a life saver.

When purchasing an ice machine, people don’t realize how portable some of them really are.

But at the end of the day, the answer is rather simple. If you need more ice in your life, get an ice maker.

Factors To Consider When Buying An Ice Maker

There are lots of things to consider when you buy your ice maker.

Don’t just go with what you think is the best deal. Sure, it’s important to get the best value you can, but make sure everything else is accounted for.

For your convenience, consider the following a checklist of important factors to consider:

Price

We'll put this first since it's likely the most important factor for you.

You can get a basic small portable ice maker for right around $100 US.

Higher-capacity and efficient ice makers (up to 45 lbs per day) shouldn't cost more than the $300.

If you want to make sonic ice nuggets or gourmet ice, then you'll likely need to buy a specialized under counter or built-in ice maker. These range from a few hundred dollars to many $1,000s.

Make sure you check prices across different online stores, as the price of ice makers isn't as uniform as other products.

In my experience, Amazon often offers the lowest prices across models, and mall-style retail stores are on the higher end of the spectrum.

Size

If you want your ice maker to become a part of your kitchen or bar, decide where you want it before you buy.

Take precise measurements and figure out what the maximum size ice maker you can afford to use.

The biggest problem people have is that they find out their ice maker is too large for their desired space.

As a rule of thumb, you should allow a minimum one inch clearance on all sides of a countertop ice maker to allow for maximum oxygen circulation.

For under-counter and built-in ice makers, the clearance can be a bit more than an inch - and some of the larger units need special ventilation ducts, so check your model's installation guide before buying.

Without enough space, your ice maker will likely overheat, and you will be stuck with super wet and soft ice.

Ice Production: How Many Pounds Per Day?

How big is your party?

Are you purchasing an ice maker just for yourself and a few others - or are you trying to keep an entire party served?

Ice makers are very diverse regarding ice production.

You can buy a small ice maker that makes just enough for one glass, or you can invest a significant amount of money into buying an ice maker that can put out a mountain a minute.

How fast does the ice maker produce ice (minutes to first serving) and how much ice can it make in total (pounds per day)?

In my opinion, the smallest ice maker you should settle for will make 20 pounds of ice in a day.

Just keep in mind, when a company tells you how much ice your ice maker is capable of making, that's in 24 hours of continuous ice production.

Unless you plan on keeping yours on all day, realize that this isn't how much ice you will get immediately. The next part of ice production to consider is speed. A safe speed is one batch every 6 minutes. If it takes longer than 10 minutes for a batch of ice, it's probably a little too slow.

Style

Many ice makers come in a stainless steel design, which fits most kitchens.

You can find them in white or black or silver as well generally.

Aside from these standard colors, many come in red as well.

The color should be an easy decision, but they also come in one of two basic styles. They are either boxy or smooth.

The box ones are meant to be placed under cabinets and in their grooves, while the more fluid ones are more so meant for countertops. Just know that the style of your ice maker often speaks towards its overall purpose as well.

Simplicity

A confusing ice maker should not exist.

Most important options include: set a timer, to turn it on, and to select your ice size.

An icemaker should also be easy to clean.

If it looks like it would be difficult to clean the water filters, cooling trays and heating elements (like a lot of built-in units are), you’re going to find yourself stuck with dirty ice.

And lastly, it should be easy to install.

Longevity

You may have a perfect ice maker for a month, but if it breaks down after just a few weeks is it worth it?

I have found a real correlation between durable ice makers and good customer support.

If the product was meant to break down fast, it will be cheap and have no helpful customer service. So check those online reviews carefully.

It's worth to pay an extra $20-100 dollars to get a product that has good customer support and proven durability.

A good ice maker should last you at least a few years without heavy maintenance. If you are maintaining it regularly, it should not break down or even begin to rattle just after a few months.

Most ice makers come with a warranty, although usually short - maybe 90 days to a year.

So for this type of appliance, it's worth considering an extended warranty.

Water Recycling

Because ice makers don't store your ice at a freezing temperature, ice left untouched will melt. In older models, this melted ice would sit in the main compartment and even potentially damage the product.

The water recycling feature takes this melted ice and recycles it back into the system. This means you won't need to drain the water or refill the machine. It will go back to the front of the cycle, and your water will be reused into more ice cubes. This saves you time, water, and a lot of hassle.

Most ice makers have a water recycling feature, but some of the older models - even expensive built-in units - do not. So definitely check.

Ice Type and Size

There should be an option to pick between small and large cubes. If not, then make sure your ice machine creates ice in your desired type (crescent, cube, nugget, sonic ice, clear cube, crushed or gourmet) and size.

The density of ice is also important.

If your machine makes ice that is too soft, it will ice-up more often and the ice will melt faster. That said, a soft-ice unit will typically produce more ice, faster.

This is just an opinion, but you probably want your ice machine to make thicker, denser ice that is better suited for those hot summer days.

Water Source

If you are buying a heavy duty undercounter or built-in ice machine, then you will need to connect it to a water source. Tap water is assumed, and there are filters in the unit that will need to be cleaned regularly.

Smaller, portable ice machines need to be refilled by hand. They do not come with filters - you need to make sure you use clean/filtered water.

Now you have a better understanding of what to look for in an ice maker.

There are many different types of ice maker sold today.

Understanding the different types of ice makers is essential for you to do this.

Ice Maker Types

Chances are you’re looking for a portable or countertop ice maker.

If you are, feel free to skip ahead.

If you are unsure of what type of ice machine you need, the consider the following.

Modular

Modular ice makers are extremely good at making ice in volume.

These units can make up to 1,000 pounds of ice in a day - if you need that much. They are the type of ice machine you find in hotels and in larger restaurants.

these beasts typically cost thousands of dollars and are the oldest type of ice machine. They are also loud, large and need their own well-ventilated corner to operate (no built-in or counter top installation is recommended).

Modular ice makers also require a dedicated water line to feed them with enough fresh water.

The main two things you'll want to look for when buying a modular ice maker is the maximum ice production and the speed of ice production.

After that, make sure the ice size is what you are looking for.

Unless you need a LOT of ice for outdoor parties, I can't recommend getting one for your home.

Undercounter

Undercounter ice machines are designed to hide below a bar or kitchen counter.

Undercounter units are typically expensive and high-capacity: they can often make 300-400 pounds of ice in a day.

An under counter ice machine needs a line to connect to a water source.

If you regularly have large groups of people over or need to fill up ice chests regularly for boating or outdoor activities, then an undercounter ice machine may be perfect for your home.

Countertop Ice Makers

Most countertop ice makers are small, compact units, about half the size of an under the counter unit or less.

Built-in ice makers are about the size of a mini-fridge and are fed with a water line. They can't make a tremendous amount of ice, and they will keep it frozen overnight.

They use water filter systems that require regular cleaning, which may require disassembling the unit to get to the parts.

Built-in ice makers are expensive - usually they cost over $1,000 - and even that would be a real bargain.

Common Problems

An ice maker is a simple contraption but it's a mechanical machine which is prone to a number of common issues.

It doesn't matter what kind of an ice maker you need, all ice machines need to be cleaned well.

When you first purchase your ice maker, there is a little cleaning ritual that is imperative. Run a water vinegar solution through the entire machine for a few cycles. This will not create ice; it will just clean the machine a little bit.

After you have done this, make sure to run plain water through the ice maker for at least a few cycles. Once this is done, your ice maker is ready to go.

There are two other potential problems.

The first is that fans can come loose. This will cause rattling and other annoying noises. To correct this, it's usually simple enough to open the unit up and adjust your fan - or you can contact customer service and let them know about this common problem, if you are still under warranty.

The next common problem has to do with sensors.

If you find that your ice machine seems to be fine, but it just won't make more ice there is a good chance your ice machine thinks it's full due to a faulty sensor.

This is a common problem for people who leave the ice in their machines for prolonged periods of time. Water will freeze and stick to the sensor, giving your sensor the impression that the device is filled with ice.

To fix this problem, wipe your sensor clean now and then. Easy to do.

So now you know everything you need to know about ice makers.

You understand how they function, and what parts to pay attention to.

Just make sure you're buying the right size and type of ice machine for your home or business.